Fleecing - Meaning, Definition & English Examples
Fleecing means cheating or swindling someone, often by taking their money dishonestly. It implies exploiting someone through deceit, similar to how a sheep is stripped of its fleece.
Definition:
Cheating someone out of money or possessions through deceit or fraud.
Synonyms:
swindling, cheating, defrauding, scamming
Part of Speech:
noun, verb (gerund/present participle)
Antonyms:
compensating, reimbursing
Common Collocations:
fleecing customers, fleecing the public, fleecing investors
Derivatives:
fleeced, fleeces
Usage Tips:
Use "fleecing" to describe dishonest financial exploitation; often implies repeated or systematic deceit.
Common Phrases:
fleecing the innocent, fleecing the system, fleece someone blind
Etymology:
Derived from "fleece," originally meaning wool; later metaphorically extended to mean stripping someone of valuables like shearing sheep.
Examples:
- 1. The scammer was caught fleecing elderly victims online.
- 2. Tourists complained about being fleeced by dishonest taxi drivers.
- 3. Politicians accused the corporation of fleecing taxpayers with inflated contracts.
- 4. She realized too late that the salesman was fleecing her with fake warranties.